Best Podcasts of September 2017

The month may be over, but you can listen to these podcasts anytime! I publish the best podcast episodes of the week every week on Friday – you can find those episodes and my reasoning behind why they’re great by going here to see an archive of those posts. But I also wanted to curate a list of the handful of episodes that simply rose to the very top over the whole month, the ones I’m still thinking about weeks later.

Here are the best podcast episodes (and a list of the podcasts that appeared on my Delicious Ingredients list more than once this month) from September 2017 – the best of the best. I didn’t compile the best August podcasts last month because I was watching water come in my roof on August 31st (thanks, a**hole Harvey), but I’m back this month after listening to 182 episodes by my count. A little light, I have to say, but October is a nice long month so I’m looking forward to great listening.

If you’re interested in seeing what I listen to, I have a running log by month. I also have a newsletter that comes out every other week which is a bit more editorial than the site – you can find it here.

Best Episodes of September 2017

Between Us Girls, Episode 49: These Are My Confessions (7/17/17):(9/7/17): What it’s about: “This week, the ladies open the super-secret confession hotline to see what blings and it turns out that all that glitters ain’t gold! B.U.G. fans are out here revealing some heavy sh*t! Grab your Mike Jackson popcorn, sit back and be a fly on the B.U.G. wall, as the ladies discuss killers, childhood secrets, dirty panties and non-existent vag openings!”

Young House Love Has a Podcast, Episode 61: How to Conquer Paper Clutter (Once and For All!) (8/21/17): What it’s about: “When it comes to paper clutter around the house, the struggle is real. Where does it come from? Is it in the rabbit family, because HOW IS IT MULTIPLYING?! We get it. And this week we’re sharing exactly how we keep it at bay (and exactly where we put everything, from receipts and school papers to bills, party invitations, and coupons). Also, a recent trip to tile at the beach house went less than smoothly, but a bout of good karma saved the day. I also share some psychology behind how to price your items on Craigslist, Sherry drops an easy way to keep frame galleries in order, and – believe it or not – there’s already a color of the year for 2018.”

Ladies, We Need to Talk: Time to Name (and Shame) the Mental Load (9/13/17): What it’s about: “You’re cooking dinner, answering work emails, calling the tradie, and getting the kids bathed. All at the same time. It’s no wonder you feel like you’re an octopus, juggling tasks. All of this work you do is invisible, ongoing, exhausting and, mostly, unrewarding. Want to know what it’s called? And better still, how to banish it?”

The Allusionist, Episode 62: In Crypt, Decrypt (9/1/17): What it’s about: “Crossword-solving is often a solitary activity – over breakfast; on the train; on the loo… But a few times a year, crossword puzzle enthusiasts gather in their hundreds to compete to be the fastest, most accurate crossword-solver. This episode comes to you from a church basement on the Upper East Side of New York City, wherein takes place America’s second largest crossword puzzle tournament: Lollapuzzoola.”

How Do You Sleep at Night?: Big Game Hunters (9/11/17) *First appearance on Delicious Ingredients!*: What it’s about: “Bec and Sharna shoot animals for sport. On their Facebook pages they pose with a dead giraffe, a zebra, and even a baby bear. Come deep into the Victorian high country to hunt deer with them, and wonder why some animals are considered more precious than others.”

Fresh Air: Sept. 11 First Responder John Feal (9/11/17): What it’s about: “Following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, first responders rushed to ground zero in Manhattan, where they braved dangerous conditions to rescue people buried in the rubble, retrieve the remains of the dead and clear the debris. Among them was demolition supervisor John Feal. Feal arrived at ground zero on Sept. 12; just five days later, he was seriously injured when an 8,000-pound piece of steel fell and crushed his foot. He became septic from the deeply infected wound, and nearly died. The accident cost Feal half his foot — and his job. His despair grew deeper when the government denied him medical compensation for his injury. Speaking with other first responders, Feal realized that he was not alone. Not only were others also being denied money to help pay for their injuries and illnesses, but the trauma was ruining people’s lives.”

Science Vs: The Rise of Anti-Vaxxers (9/21/17): What it’s about: “Last week we explored the science behind vaccine safety. This week we try to understand where these fears came from, and why they persist. We speak to three historians: Prof. Nadja Durbach, Prof. Elena Conis, and Prof. Robert Johnston. And a concerned mom named Noelle.”

Inflection Point: How to Get Through the Worst – Together (Kelsey Crowe) (9/23/17): What it’s about: “Most of us don’t know what to say when we are grieving or how to reach out when the people we love go through something awful. Dr. Kelsey Crowe’s own experiences with grief helped her realize that so many people suffer alone because the people around them don’t know what to do or say. So Kelsey actually shifted her career focus to understand what grieving people want, and what they don’t. She surveyed 900 people about their experiences with grief, founded Help Each Other Out to provide empathy bootcamps, and wrote a book about what she learned. The title of her book sums it up: There is No Good Card for this: What to say and do when life is scary, awful and unfair to people you love.* Lauren talks with Kelsey about what she learned and how we can all help each other out.”

Radio Atlantic: What Are Public Schools For? (9/21/17): What it’s about: “The idea that public schools are failing is one of the most commonly heard complaints in American society. But what are they failing to do? Surveys of American parents—and the history of the nation’s public education system—tell a more complicated story. In this episode, The Atlantic‘s education editor Alia Wong joins Jeff, Matt, and Alex for a conversation about how we define and measure success in public education.”

The Hilarious World of Depression: Wil Wheaton is Really Hoping it’s All Worth It (9/25/17): What it’s about: “Wil Wheaton was a child star in Stand By Me, a regular on Star Trek: The Next Generation as a teenager, and has been trying to figure out his role in show business for a long time since then. He was dealing with the pressures of fame and the fickle tastes of Hollywood, all while dealing with a chemical imbalance in his brain that made him prone to anxiety and depression. Wil’s better now thanks to medication, but despite his long IMDb page and regular work on The Big Bang Theory, his hit YouTube show, and a thriving and varied career, he sees himself primarily as a failed actor.”

Best Podcasts of September 2017
(multiple appearances on weekly Delicious Ingredients including Honorable Mentions)

The Heart

Between Us Girls

Science Vs

Latino USA

And I’m thrilled that Here Be Monsters, Terrible Thanks for Asking and The Hilarious World of Depression are back with new seasons – plus ABC (Australia) is just killing it with their new shows. So much good stuff to listen to this month! Can’t wait for new CBC shows to come out soon too!